1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to flexible strip lighting fixtures and systems, and more particularly to a rope light track system that houses a tubular flexible rope light string and can be mounted on or in various interior and exterior structures to protect the light string from damage and provide utilitarian and decorative lighting.
2. Background Art
Flexible lighting strips such as “rope lights”, “flexible neon rope”, and “fiber optic” strips, are known in the art, and are commonly used for lighting both interior and exterior structures and for decorative applications. Typically, these types of flexible lighting strips comprise a plurality of closely spaced electrically connected miniature light bulbs or light emitting diodes (LED's) to form elongate strings, or elongate side-lit fiber optic cable, which are encased in an elongate hollow flexible translucent tube.
Although the flexible tube allows users to configure these types of flexible lighting strips or rope lights into various configurations with ease, it also reduces the structural strength of the lighting string, and limits the areas in which they may be installed. For example, if used to border a driveway, walkway, or stairway, they may be crushed by the wheel of a vehicle, or may be stepped on; or if placed on a handrail, they may be become twisted or deformed, resulting in damaged bulbs LED's, or fibers, or short circuiting or the wiring in the flexible tube.
There are several patents that disclose various lighting track systems for housing and mounting elongate strings of miniature light bulbs and light emitting diodes (LED's), or fiber optic cable.
Kessler, U.S. Pat. No. 2,920,184 discloses an illuminated driveway curbing consisting of an inverted U-shaped cover made of transparent plastic adapted to house illuminating means. The cover projects light upwardly over a complete 180° angle and is bolted onto the surface of a flat driveway.
Szentveri, U.S. Pat. No. 3,500,036 discloses a strip lighting device in which bores must be formed to accommodate a socket and a lamp.
Baatz, U.S. Pat. No. 3,663,808 discloses an illuminated safety curbing construction which includes a plastic cover mounted on a rigid base structure which is adapted to be bolted above a flat surface.
Kendrick, U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,675 discloses a lawn and flower bed divider system that uses sections formed from PVC or the like including straight and curved sections. The sections are hollow and contain integral water and electrical wiring conduits. The ends include fittings to interconnect the sections to form a continuous divider. Sprinkler heads are disposed along the divider and connected internally along the divider. Lighting fixtures are installed along the divider and internally connected to wiring in the wiring conduits. The water conduits are connected to a water source and the wiring is connected to a low voltage power source.
Cagne, U.S. Pat. No. 5,499,170 discloses a lighting track for use in public transportation vehicles that comprises an outer track having upstanding walls connected together by a base portion, together defining a first retention channel. The upstanding walls have a downwardly facing first barrier portion. A receptacle has first and second side walls connected together by a spanning portion, together defining a second retention channel. The side walls have an upwardly facing second barrier portion, and a downwardly facing third barrier portion. When the receptacle is in place in the first retention channel, the first and second side walls are each selectively movable between a respective locking position where the second barrier portion is in intimate engagement with the first barrier portion and a respective unlocking position where the second barrier portion is removed from intimate engagement with the first barrier portion. A top cover has first and second side walls connected together by a lens. The side walls have an upwardly facing fourth barrier portion. A lighting element is disposed between the receptacle and the top cover. When the protective top cover is in place in the second retention channel of the receptacle and the receptacle is in place in the first retention channel of the outer track, the first and second barrier portions intimately engage each other in interfering relation, and the third and fourth barrier portions intimately engage each other in interfering relation, so as to lock the receptacle within the outer track and to lock the protective top cover within the receptacle.
Crevier, U.S. Pat. No. 6,065,853 discloses a driveway, walkway and landscape lighting assembly. The assembly has an elongated main tube body formed of PVC with hollow parallel support tubes underneath the body for allowing water in the body to seep into the ground. A hollow box with outwardly flared sides sits on top of the main body. A lens cover such as, but not limited to, a glass brick or plastic brick sits on top of the box.
Conway, U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,443 discloses an apparatus and method of lighted ground curbing, flatwork and other structures having a recessed channel formed therein for receiving a length of flexible sheathed lighting. The separately sheathed lighting is adequately protected independent of the curbing, flatwork or other structure, and is powered by a power source residing separately and independently of the curbing, to thereby eliminate any need for electrical sockets or protective covering to be included as part of the curbing or flatwork portion. The lighting operates to project a substantially continuous stream of light extending continuously along the recess formed in the curbing, flatwork or other structure.
Rhodes, U.S. Pat. No. 6,354,714 discloses an embedded LED lighting system for marking flooring, walkways, roadways, and airport runways employs a strip of light emitting diode mounted on a I-beam shaped framework and encapsulated in a clear or reflective potting material. The upper portion of the housing for the LED lighting system is covered with a reflective coating or tape. The embedded LED lighting system can be controlled by motion sensors, pressure sensors, or crosswalk lights.
Szymanski, U.S. Pat. No. 6,699,137 discloses a method of adapting a golf course for playing golf at night using a glow-in-the-dark golf ball includes selecting an elongated flexible light source and placing it around the perimeter of a golf course putting green, fairway, bunkers, and other hazards and anchoring the placed elongated flexible light source to the earth with anchoring stakes. The golf hole may have the rim illuminated and may have a night visible flag. The selected and placed elongated flexible light source is partially buried to provide a smooth surface thereover. The elongated flexible light source, such as a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDS), may be placed in a flexible transparent polymer tube or channel and may be an electro-illuminescent wire or incandescent bulbs or LED spaced within a polymer tube or an elongated fiberoptic lighted from one end.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a rope light track system that houses a tubular flexible rope light string and can be mounted on or in various interior and exterior structures to protect the light string from damage and provide utilitarian and decorative lighting. The system includes a plurality of elongate rigid or semi-rigid tracks having a longitudinal generally rectangular U-shaped retention channel with an open end defined by laterally opposed side walls adjoined at one end by a transverse base wall and at least one retainer element near the open end. The tracks have side portions or a mounting flange portion extending outwardly from the retention channel to accommodate various mounting configurations. An elongate tubular flexible rope lighting string is removably mounted in the retention channel and retained therein to prevent accidental removal, and is disposed below the channel open end to protect it from being damaged and allow light emanating therefrom to be directed out of the channel open end. Various control devices control the illuminating operation of the rope light string.